Finally, A Happy Ending
by Just Another Kim Next Door
Summary: Eleven pays Rose and John a visit on a very special day


The Doctor had been standing outside the door for a solid five minutes, adjusted the bow tie a good ten notches, and changed his mind about going in about a million times before he finally gathered up the courage to knock. Three short raps on the door. (He wouldn't have dared do four.) That was it, that was all. After he had knocked, he kept his fist still balled at the side, knuckles white. Of course, that seemed suspicious, far too suspicious. So he stuck his hands inside his pocket, rocking back and forth on his heels. And he waited. He hated waiting.

"Excuse me?" The Doctor turned his head to see an elderly woman, clad in baggy jeans and a bright yellow blouse covered in splotches of paint. He smiled at her, which she returned, saying, "Are you looking for Rose and John?"

So he went by John now. That was interesting. Though, truth be told, there really was no reason why he shouldn't. The Doctor nodded, wringing his hands, which had somehow made their way out of his pockets, out in front of him. "Yes. Yes, I am."

"Then I'm afraid you've missed them, dear."

He swallowed the panic rising in his chest at the word "missed". "I'm sorry?"

"They've already left for the evening." When he returned a blank stare, she elaborated. "For the reception. I assume you're attending?"

"Oh." He nodded quickly, going along with her assumption. Did that mean… "Yes, of course. The reception."

"I myself am not going." The woman chuckled softly. "As I told them, not much for wine and dancing. Well, not since the arthritis kicked in." She winked. "John was very understanding, of course, when I saw him at the ceremony. Didn't see you, though…"

The Doctor hesitated for a moment as the reality of what she was saying kicked in. A ceremony and a reception. Theirs. And it warmed his heart. Then he realized she had indirectly questioned him and quickly shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Oh, yes… I suppose you could say I just wasn't here in time."

"Oh… pity," she said, smiling softly. "It was a gorgeous ceremony. You would have fit in perfectly. Bow tie and all."

He grinned, touching the garment around his neck again. "Bow ties are cool."

"No need to tell me that, dearie. Very dapper." She sighed, reaching for her door handle. "Well, I'll let you get off, then. Wouldn't want to miss the first dance, would you?"

The Doctor held up his hand. "Excuse me! Could you give me the address of the reception?" He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I've left my invitation at home…"

She laughed, shaking her head. "You really are something… it's at the Powell Estate, of course."

He mimicked her laugh. "Right… right, yes, of course. Where _is_ my head today? Thank you."

The time it took for the Doctor to get from their doorstep, back to the TARDIS for directions, to the Powell Estate was all a blur. A blur of being so extremely happy for them (and not even a tiny bit jealous, oh no, not at all, that wasn't jealous) and thinking about the magnificent life they would lead (the one adventure he could never have) and wondering yet again if he should even go. Yet there he was, holding up the psychic paper to security and entering the estate. Going to the reception of the Doct— John Smith and Rose Tyler.

He adjusted his bow tie as he slipped into the darkened room through a side door. His eyes scanned the room, but found no white dress among the crowd of people seated at the tables or standing along the outskirts. A waitress walked by with glasses full of clear liquid, offering him one. He took it and held it, though dared not raise it to his lips, figuring it would be alcoholic.

A loud laugh radiated throughout the room from one of the tables nearest to the dance floor. He smiled fondly. Jackie Tyler, wearing a pale green dress and her hair in a gorgeously messy up-do. And Pete sitting beside her looking sharp as ever. The Doctor leaned back against the wall, grinning like an idiot.

Within a few minutes, a man he did not know stood apart from the crowd with a microphone. "Everyone! I now present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. John Smith!"

And there they were.

His pink and yellow girl was in all white, a gorgeous dress, more traditional than he ever would have imagined her picking. Her hair, long and blonde and gorgeous; and his hair, brown and messy as ever. Something was off about him though… his suit. A black suit. Not blue or brown, but black. But, the Doctor had to admit, he looked good.

He barely paid attention to the song they were dancing to. He just watched them. The way he held her, the way she smiled at him, the way they seemed so perfect, so happy. And, quite frankly, he couldn't have wished for anything better.

All too soon, other couples began to join John and Rose on the dance floor. The Doctor swayed along in the corner for a few minutes alone. He loved weddings for the dancing, but it wasn't the right time to bust out his moves on the dance floor. Not at this wedding, no. So, having said his peace, he placed his untouched drink on the nearby bar and departed the room as the sound of clapping filled the room behind him.

He had his hand on the front door knob when a voice behind him said, "I know we don't have the best track record for bringing gifts, but couldn't you at least say hello?"

The Doctor smirked as he turned around to face himself. "How'd you know?"

John leaned against the archway into one of the many rooms between the entrance hall and the ballroom where the reception was being held. "Had a dream about the TARDIS landing last night. Ever since then I've had this weird feeling." He returned the smirk. "Then I saw a bloke in a bow tie. Who else?"

The Doctor nodded his consent. Fair enough deduction. He should have expected no less.

A somewhat awkward silence hung in the air for only a few seconds (though it felt much, much longer for both men) before John gave a small nod. "It's good to see you."

"Likewise. Good to see you two. Together. As it should be."

"She's got a TARDIS necklace on. Something blue."

"Did you tell her…"

"No." He shook his head. "Didn't want to get her hopes up, just in case it was just me. Being crazy. Paranoid." He sighed. "Cold feet."

"But you two are…"

"Very happy. We've had our rough patches, but what couple doesn't, right? But things are good. Very good, obviously, to be getting married." John cleared his throat. "And you?"

The Doctor scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You know better than to ask me that."

"Well I don't know what's changed! New hair, new chin… tweed."

"I'm alright. Oh, and Sexy sends her love."

"We call her that in public now?"

"We do. We also got to meet her properly. In human form."

"Just as gorgeous?"

"Of course."

"Send her my love in return."

"Careful, you're a married man now."

John raised an eyebrow. "Memory serves me correctly, so are you by now."

"Formerly," said the Doctor shortly, hoping to end the topic there.

"Right."

"Complicated."

"When isn't it?"

"Hopefully not with you two."

"That remains to be seen…" John smiled, "But I hope so, too."

The sound of footsteps interrupted their conversation and then she was there, too. "John?" Rose stepped into the entrance hall.

"Oh, hey." The groom extended his arm to his bride.

"What's goin' on out here? People are looking for you." She looked back and forth between the two men. "Friend of yours?"

"Friend of both of ours," John replied, though he did not elaborate and the Doctor did not chime in, waiting for her to reach her own conclusion.

For a moment, confusion held Rose's face captive. And then, slowly at first, her eyes widened , mouth hanging open slightly. "You're kidding…"

The Doctor smiled, waving slightly. "Hello."

"Doctor…" she said, making her way over to him, standing about a foot away.

"Rose Tyler," he mumbled in reply, looking into those eyes. Those eyes he would never, ever forget.

Then her arms were around his neck and his arms were around her waist, feeling the beaded detailing of her dress against his fingertips and she was whispering how good it was to see him.

"Good to see you, too. And congratulations."

"Thanks." She pulled back, looking over him. "You regenerated."

"I did. Couldn't very well let an old man die for me, could I?"

"Who?"

"Donna's grandfather."

"Oh, Donna… 'm so so—"

"—It's alright." He held up a hand, not wanting to make a fuss, not wanting to make it about him. "She lived a good life in the end."

"That's good."

"As I understand you are."

She smiled back at John, then returned her gaze to the Doctor. "Yeah. Yeah, we are."

He returned the smile. "That's good. After all this time… I'm so glad."

"Good." She eyed his position by the door. "You're not leaving yet, are you?"

"I was planning on it," he admitted.

"But the party's only just begun! Mum and Dad'll want to see you, too."

The Doctor was at a loss of words, unsure of how to best communicate why he wanted to go without offending her. Thankfully, John interjected, stepping toward the other two.

"He doesn't have much time, Rose. The longer he stays here, the harder it will be for him to get back. Right, Doctor?"

He nodded. That was definitely a part of it, the logistics part that made sense. And was easiest to explain.

"Come on," Rose wrapped her hand around his wrist. "One dance. The world doesn't end if the Doctor dances." She smiled up at him.

"You're right, it doesn't." He nodded, placing his other hand over hers. "But fortunately, you seem to have a Doctor that actually _can _dance." He gently unwrapped her fingers, passing her hand over to John. The two seemed to mutually interlock fingers. "Must've gotten that bit from Donna."

He was happy to see Rose smile up at John. "Oh, he took lessons for weeks…"

"Hey, that was for your sake more than mine! I didn't want to step on your feet!"

"I know!"

Both of them laughed and the Doctor just grinned, taking in this moment with the two of them. The Doctor and Rose. John and Rose.

That was the image he carried with him later that night, back in his own universe, in the TARDIS alone, in orbit around the first planet he'd found. John and Rose, holding hands, standing together, matching rings on their fingers, smiling and happy.

And, much as he hated endings, this was a good one.


End file.
